Slow-burning log

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to warming, heating devices for warming and cooking, and it can be utilized in household, in the field, in camping and in any touristic events as a source of stand-alone flame for warming, cooking, as well as for illumination. A slow-burning log that is made of a solid-fuel material of a vegetable origin has upper, lower and side surfaces, at least two vertical through incisions that extend from the upper surface to the lower one and intersect with each other thereby forming a general through vertical hole that begins in a midsection of the upper surface. The vertical through incisions are made as partially inner incisions, and beginning from the upper surface they do not extend to the side surface of the log, while in the lower section of the log they extend to the side surface thereby forming side entrances for air delivery on the side surface. The vertical through incisions are made in a shape of trapezoid or rectangular grading into the trapezoid or a rectangular grading into another rectangular or in any other shape or in the form of any figure. The side entrances are made with dimensions calculated with consideration of air volume that is delivered therethrough and required to maintain uniform stable burning process. The slow-burning log comprises an ignition agent arranged at least in the general vertical through hole. The slow-burning log may be made with a removable support for a reservoir for cooking. The slow-burning log is made with a handle. Technical effect lies in increase of the burning time, provision of uniform long-term burning, provision of uniform cooling of the log body along the entire perimeter of the vertical through incisions while also providing uniform delivery of air from the bottom to the vertical through incisions along the entire perimeter thereof in order to provide stability of the burning temperature and uniform gradual burning of the log, allowing adjustment of the burning process providing slowing down thereof, increase of fabricability, reduction of labor intensity of production.

The invention relates to warming, heating devices for warming andcooking, and it can be utilized in household, in the field, in campingand in any touristic events as a source of stand-alone fire for warming,cooking, as well as for illumination.

A device for cooking is known comprising a body made from a combustiblematerial that allows using it both as a fuel and as a device forcombustion thereof, which is implemented due to a presence of at leasttwo intersecting vertical slotted passages in the body, the passageshaving a common intersection line inside the body, the line being closeto a middle portion of upper base thereof, wherein length, weight andheight of the vertical slotted passages is dictated by a possibility ofa process of slow burning of inner surfaces of the body forming thevertical slotted passages, wherein burning-out of the device isaccompanied by forming mounts, which support a reservoir for cooking.[see patent RU 2280213(C2) from the class IPC⁶ F24B3/00, C10L9/00,published on 20 Feb. 2006].

Drawbacks of said technical solution, when it is made with the verticalslotted passages in the form of at least two diametrical incisions,which extend to the side surface of the device and go down almost to thelower surface thereof, but they do not extend therethough, lie in rapidcombustion of separate surfaces due to rapid fire propagation to theside surfaces of the device, non-uniform and incomplete combustion ofthe device: incomplete combustion of the lower base thereof, expediteddeformation and breaking down of the device part made with the verticalslotted passages, which are distributed to the side surface, into partswith their incomplete combustion and inability to allow adjustment ofthe burning process providing slowing-down thereof.

Making the diametrical incisions provides free access for air to theburning zone that expedites deformation of both side and directly uppersurfaces and leads to rapid withdrawal of the device from operation.Furthermore, due to opened and free access for air to the burning zoneit becomes impossible to change the intensity of gas exchange inside thediametrical incisions, and, thus, a process of cooling the burning zonethat could slow down the burning process becomes impossible.

Besides, absence of a ventilation holes does not allow adjustment oflight and heat output of the flame.

In the embodiment of the known device having the vertical slottedpassages in the form of incisions, which do not distribute to the sidesurface of the body, delivery of oxygen to the burning zone becomessignificantly complicated and it becomes reasonable to dispose thedevice at a certain height over a solid surface, e.g. over a ground,while providing free access for air from the bottom to the incisions,since there are no side ventilation holes for oxygen supply to theburning zone that causes using an additional device, e.g. a support,that contributes to inconvenience during use. At the same time, apossibility of uniform cooling of the burning zones providing increaseof the burning duration is not provided. Besides, the general holeformed at the intersection of the slotted passages extends in the courseof combustion that leads to entry of a high air volume to the burningzone that, in turns, leads to acceleration of combustion of the knowndevice.

A log for producing fire is known, the log being a billet from a wholedry round timber, which has a through passage along the axis anddiametrical incisions on the billet height that do not reach the basefor the length of 20 mm, and in the upper and lower parts of the billeton the centre cone depressions are made and in the lowerpart—through-holes on the height of 10 . . . 15 mm from the base, whichpass through the central passage [see patent of Ukraine No. 82202 fromthe class IPC¹³ B27M 1/00, published on 25 Jul. 2013 in the Bul. No.14].

Drawbacks of said device are due to its structural design withdiametrical incisions on the height of the billet that do not reach thebase and distribute to the side surface of the device. This leads torapid combustion of separate surfaces due to rapid fire propagation tothe side surfaces of the device, non-uniform and incomplete combustionof the device: incomplete combustion of the lower base thereof,expedited deformation and breaking down of the device part made with thevertical slotted passages, which are distributed to the side surface,into parts with their incomplete combustion and inability to allowadjustment of the burning process providing slowing-down thereof.

Making the diametrical incisions provides free access for air to theburning zone that expedites deformation of both side and directly uppersurfaces and leads to rapid withdrawal of the device from operation.

Further drawback that is associated with making through-holes on theheight of 10 . . . 15 mm from the base in the device lies in a highlabor intensity of the process for making the device and in a need ofadditional production operations and equipment. Furthermore, entry ofthe air to the diametrical incisions through the through-holes reducesefficiency of the process of cooling the burning zone, since they areconnected only with the central passage within the billet.

The closest analogue, according to essential features thereof, is adisclosed compact log having a longitudinal extent from end-to-end, amidsection, a lower section and a side surface, wherein the compact logcomprises a plurality of longitudinally extending end-to-end throughincisions, which extend from the lower surface of the log and intersectin the midsection of the log and fail to extend to the side surface ofthe log, and an air duct in the lower part of the log that extends fromthe side surface of the log to the midsection of the log and fail toextend to the upper section of the log in order to prevent burning ofthe side surface of the log; wherein the air duct is made in the form ofa groove and radially displaced from the incisions such that the airduct intersects the incisions only in the midsection of the log that isadjacent to the lower surface of the log [see patent U.S. Pat. No.8,597,381(B2), class IPC⁶ C10L 11/06, published on 6 Dec. 2012].

A drawback of said technical solution lies in a high labor intensity ofthe process for making the device while performing additionaltechnological operations and in a need of additional equipment formaking a separate air duct on the lower surface of the log.

Also the major drawback of the structure lies in making the air duct inthe form of a separate groove on the lower surface of the log with aradial displacement from the longitudinally extending through incisions,the groove being communicated only with the midsection, wherein theincisions are intersected, that does not allow delivery of air to otherparts of the incisions, which could cool the log body and reduce theburning intensity, that does not provide increase of heating time of thelog body in other sections of the incisions and, thus, does not provideincrease of burning duration of the log due to this fact. Furthermore,when making the longitudinally extending through incisions and the airduct in such a way and when disposing the device on a solid surface,e.g., ground or the like, delivery of sufficient amount of air to themidsection, wherein the incisions are intersected, is not provided dueto absence of a sufficient draft that causes use of a support for thedevice in order to provide air access directly to the longitudinallyextending through incisions on the lower surface of the log. However inthis case it is impossible to adjust the air volume that is delivered tothe longitudinally extending through incisions and, thus, to adjust theburning process in order to increase the burning time, besides, thegeneral hole formed at the intersection of the longitudinally extendingthrough incisions extends in the course of combustion that leads toentry of a high air volume to the burning zone that, in turns, leads toacceleration of combustion of the known device that increases theburning intensity and reduces the burning duration of the known deviceas well as makes it impossible to limit the air flow that is deliveredto the combustion zone.

The proposed invention is aimed to provide a novel, effective,technological slow-burning log having improved characteristics bychanging a structure and by making the structure elements in a novelway.

This aim is achieved due to the fact that in the slow-burning log madeof a solid-fuel material of a vegetable origin, the log having an uppersurface, a lower surface, a side surface, at least two vertical throughincisions that extend from the upper surface to the lower one andintersect with each other thereby forming a general through verticalhole that begins in a midsection of the upper surface, according to theinvention, the vertical through incisions are made as partially innerincisions, and beginning from the upper surface they do not extend tothe side surface of the log, while in the lower section of the log theyextend to the side surface thereby forming side entrances for airdelivery on the side surface.

According to the proposed technical solution, the vertical throughincisions may be made in a shape of trapezoid or rectangular gradinginto the trapezoid or a rectangular grading into another rectangular orin any other shape or in the form of any figure.

Also according to the invention, the side entrances are made withdimensions calculated with consideration of air volume that is deliveredtherethrough and required to maintain uniform stable burning process.

Also according to the invention, the slow-burning log may comprise anignition agent mounted in the general vertical through hole.

Also according to the invention, walls of the vertical through incisionsmay be soaked with a highly flammable substance.

Also according to the invention, the proposed device may have a handlefor convenient transportation thereof, the handle being fixed thereonand may be arranged on the side of both the upper surface and the sideor the lower surface.

An additional support may be used along with the slow-burning log, thesupport is to be arranged on the upper surface of the log for placing acooking reservoir thereon.

The proposed device is made of a solid-fuel material of a vegetableorigin, preferably, of a natural dry round timber, and it may be in theform of a sawed-off tree trunk portion mounted vertically.

Technical effect lies in increase of the burning time, provision ofuniform cooling of the log body along the entire perimeter of thevertical through incisions while also providing uniform delivery of airfrom the bottom to the vertical through incisions along the entireperimeter thereof in order to maintain the burning process providingstable combustion temperature and uniform moderate burning of the logfrom top to bottom, allowing adjustment of the burning process providingslowing down thereof, elimination of a need to provide air delivery fromthe bottom and, thus, elimination of a need to use an additionalfacility to allow air delivery from the bottom of the log, as well as inelimination of uncontrolled access of the high air volume from thebottom during gradual burning-out of the midsection with thecorresponding extension of the central through hole that usually leadsto acceleration of the combustion of the known analogues.

The set of said essential features of the proposed technical solutionprovides reduction of labor intensity and increase of productionfabricability of the device due to reduction of the structure elementsand number of technological operations.

In the claimed invention, a system for air supply to the burning zone isimproved due to making uniformly arranged ventilation passages in theform of vertical through incisions, which, when extended to the sidesurface, form side entrances for air delivery, in the lower section ofthe log, through which the air is delivered from at least four sides ofthe log directly to the vertical through incisions and along the entireperimeter thereof that provides stable combustion temperature anduniform moderate burning, increases burning time of the proposed device,eliminates deformation of the upper surface. Besides, designing thedevice with the proposed structure allows adjustment of light and heatoutput due to a possibility of sealing of a portion of the sideentrances.

Also the set of essential features provides increase of usabilityeliminating a need in use of a specific support to provide air accessfrom the bottom of the log.

Cause-and-effect relationship between essential features and technicaleffect lies in that making of the vertical through incisions in theproposed form, i.e. partially internal, that does not extend to the sidesurface of the log beginning from the upper surface, while in the lowersection it extends to the side surface thereby forming side entrances onthe side surface for air delivery, in contrast to the closest analogue,in the set of essential features allows creation of preconditions foreffective air delivery to the combustion zone through the formed sideentrances, which are ventilation holes or gaps according to theembodiment and form ventilation passages, and its uniform distributionwithin the entire ventilation passage, while not making the productionprocess more complex, since it is no more required to perform additionalproduction actions as to forming a separate ventilation passage or otherventilation holes for air supply to the vertical through incisions. Atthe same time, the claimed structure achieves provision of cooling theinner surfaces of the vertical through holes along the entire perimeterthereof by the air being delivered, while also providing delivery of theair volume defined and limited by dimensions of the side entrancesrequired to maintain uniform stable burning process that leads toincrease of burning duration, while keeping consistency of the log.

There are at least four side entrances made for air delivery, which areside ventilation holes or gaps according to the embodiment, in contrastto the air passage of the closest analogue, which provide immediatedirect air delivery to the vertical through incisions, that generallyallows slowing down the burning process of the device, increase of usagetime and adjustment of light and heat output. It becomes possible due tothe process of internal cooling of the device. Air having lowertemperature in comparison with the temperature of the burning zone isdelivered through the side ventilation holes/gaps to the verticalthrough incisions and reduces the burning intensity while cooling theburning zone.

The essence of the claimed technical solution will be explained belowreferring to the illustrative material, which presents: FIG. 1—anoverall view of the slow-burning log with the embodiment of the verticalthrough holes in the shape of trapezoid;

FIG. 2—an overall view of the slow-burning log with the embodiment ofthe vertical through holes in the complex shape;

FIG. 3—a top view of the slow-burning log;

FIG. 4—a bottom view of the slow-burning log;

FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8—examples of embodiments of the slow-burning log: FIG.5—a top view, FIG. 6—a bottom view, FIG. 7—a side view, FIG. 8—afragment of the overall bottom view.

The proposed slow-burning log comprises: upper surface 1; side surface2; lower surface 3; vertical through incisions 4, which are partially,preferably in the upper and middle section of the log, made internal,i.e. such that they do not extend to the side surface of the logbeginning from the upper surface, while they are made opened in thelower section of the log, extend to the side surface forming sideentrances 5 for air delivery on the side surface 2. The side entrances 5represent a portion of the vertical through incisions, continuationthereof and at the same time they represent ventilation holes or gaps 5depending on the way they are made relative to the lower surface: holesin case of making them without intersection with the lower surface, andgaps in case of coupling with the lower surface. Dimensions of the sideentrances are calculated with consideration of the air volume requiredto maintain uniform stable burning process that is caused by a numberand dimensions of the vertical through incisions, overall dimensions ofthe log in general.

The vertical through incisions 4, when intersecting, form a generalthrough vertical hole 6. The vertical through incisions 4, if there aretwo of them made, intersect in the midsection of the log, preferably atright angle. If the log has a regular round shape, the centrallongitudinal axis of the general through hole 6 may coincide with thecentral longitudinal axis of the log. When the log is made with three ormore vertical through incisions 4, they are distributed uniformly, whileintersecting approximately at equal angles. In this case the sideentrances are distributed along perimeter of the side surface in thelower section of the log.

The claimed device may comprise the vertical through incisions 4 havingvarious shape and dimensions depending on the shape and dimensions ofthe upper surface, side surface and lower surface, as well as onprospective operating conditions.

The claimed slow-burning log may be made with a handle for convenientuse.

Furthermore, the slow-burning log may comprise an ignition agent mountedin the general vertical through hole and/or walls of the verticalthrough incisions may be soaked with a highly flammable substance forrapid ignition.

The proposed slow-burning log is used preferably in any touristic eventsand in campings, as well as in fireplaces as a source of stand-alonefire for warming, cooking or as a source for illumination in thefollowing way.

The slow-burning log is arranged with its lower surface 3 on anothersurface. The ignition agent arranged in the general through hole or awick of this agent extending therefrom is scorched. Afterwards, gradualuniform slow inflammation of the slow-burning log occurs.

Air that cools the walls of the vertical through incisions 4 and allowsmaintaining stable slowed down burning process is delivered to thevertical through incisions 4 through the side entrances 5, which areuniformly arranged along the perimeter of the side surface 2 in thelower section of the log. In this case, it is provided that air issufficiently supplied through the side entrances 5 along the uniformlydistributed ventilation passages to the burning zone to maintain stablefire, the passages not changing the dimension thereof up to almostcomplete combustion of the log, in contrast to other known devices, thatprovides stability, increased burning duration of the claimed device. Bysealing the side entrances 5 with supplementary means, the air deliveryvolume to the burning zone and thus the burning intensity, light andheat output of the slow-burning log is adjusted, if necessary, e.g., atstrong wind.

After scorching the slow-burning log, it is possible to arrange thereservoir suitable for cooking and/or warming water on the upper surface1. In case when the vertical through incisions 4 on the upper surfaceare completely sealed due to high dimension of the reservoir forcooking, it is necessary to use a support for arranging the reservoir ata distance from the upper surface 1 in order to prevent fire from fadingout.

Preferably, the slow-burning log is made from timber. Various woodspecies are used, preferably, birch.

It has been experimentally established that making the vertical throughincisions, according to the claimed structural solution being proposed,leads to increase of the burning time of the device, since suchstructure allows uniform distribution of air that is delivered throughthe side entrances to the vertical through incisions along the innerwalls of the vertical through incisions while cooling them in order toslow down the burning process and simultaneously maintaining the burningprocess providing stability thereof, as well as cause long-termpreservance of integrity of the device in view of causing slowed downand gradual combustion of the inner walls of the vertical throughincisions.

Upon comparison of the proposed technical solution with the analoguesknown from the prior art, it is concluded that the slow-burning logmeets the criterium of “inventive step”, since it is presented withqualitative structural changes of making the vertical through incisionsthereby producing the ventilation system of air supply to the burningzone that provides achievement of said technical effect being notestablished in the existing prior art earlier.

Structures of the slow-burning log having the claimed set of essentialfeatures have not been revealed from existing sources of patent andscientific and technical information, thus, the presented technicalsolution meets the criterium of “novelty”.

Also according to the results of experimental practice examination, theproposed technical solution is suitable for use, since it does notcontain any materials, which could not be reproduced at the actualscience and engineering development stage, therefore, the presenttechnical solution is considered to be compliant with the criterium of“industrial applicability”.

1. A slow-burning log made of a solid-fuel material of a vegetableorigin, the log having upper, lower and side surfaces, at least twovertical through incisions that extend from the upper surface to thelower one and intersect with each other thereby forming a generalthrough vertical hole that begins in a midsection of the upper surface,characterized in that the vertical through incisions are made aspartially inner incisions, and beginning from the upper surface they donot extend to the side surface of the log, while in the lower section ofthe log they extend to the side surface thereby forming side entrancesfor air delivery on the side surface.
 2. The slow-burning log accordingto claim 1, characterized in that the vertical through incisions aremade in a shape of trapezoid or rectangular grading into the trapezoidor a rectangular grading into another rectangular or in any other shapeor in the form of any figure.
 3. The slow-burning log according to claim1, characterized in that the side entrances are made with dimensionscalculated with consideration of air volume that is deliveredtherethrough and required to maintain uniform stable burning process. 4.The slow-burning log according to claim 1, characterized in that itcomprises an ignition agent arranged at least in the general verticalthrough hole.
 5. The slow-burning log according to claim 1,characterized in that it is made with a removable support for areservoir for cooking.
 6. The slow-burning log according to claim 1,characterized in that it is made with a handle.